05 June 2012

Indonesian fans hurl racist abuse at Azkals

By Jojo Malig, ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines - Several Indonesian football fans who watched the friendly on Tuesday night between the Philippine Azkals and Timnas Indonesia are accused of racially abusing the Philippines' mixed-heritage players.

"Hindi kayo Pilipino! (You are not Filipinos!)" the Indonesian fans yelled in unison at some members of the Azkals while the match was ongoing, according to witnesses who watched the game live at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.

Craig Burrows, an Englishman based in Manila who manages the Philippines' Homeless World Cup team, told ABS-CBNnews.com that he was standing next to the Indonesian fans when he heard the abusive chant.

He said Filipino football fans who were with him also heard it.

"Sadly, let us not stoop to that," he said.

Araceli Socorro, an Azkals fan, said she heard the offensive chant in the first half.

"How did the Pinoys respond to the racist chants? Showed them a banner that went 'NO TO RACISM' and then clapped for the Indonesian team," she said on Twitter.

Some Indonesians also boasted about the racist abuse on the social networking site after the match.

6 comments:

Stupidity + ignorance = racismIf the abuse was really directed on Philippine players of “mixed race” the Indonesians may have forgotten that or were simply oblivious of the fact that Irfan Bachdim one of the goal scorers in fact of dutch decent.

We have to complain to the AFC or to the highest authority in football incase we have evidence that this is true.First, what if we play in their place, what will happen to our players. They will not be safe.Second, we hosted them and treated them properly and courteously. Then these is what we as a country we will received from their supporters.Some of them are rowdy and does not think of fair play and don't think that this is just a game.I would like to think that, all Indonesians are good because I worked with two fine Indon Engineers 4 years ago in Bahrain and until now we stay in contact. But these two guys don't like football. Now I know why.We as people who knows and think rationally, must understand them but it is also our right to raise this matter to the higher authority.

If we are getting this, it only means one thing, the once bullies (to Philippine soccer) of ASEAN soccer world are now feeling threatened, they are feeling the heat the Azkals are generating. This can be a start of a football rivalry between this two countries. I cannot envy US/Mexico "war-like atmosphere" each time they play each other. Because for sure, the next time we play Indonesia, I WANT THEM BEATEN AND MANGLED BY OUR RABID STREET DOGS, MY AZKALS!!!! GO AZKALS!!!